


Stay

by umiyuki



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-22
Updated: 2011-03-22
Packaged: 2017-10-17 05:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/173167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/umiyuki/pseuds/umiyuki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the following kink meme prompt:</p><p>Gamzee's got a bit of separation anxiety. Given his neglectful caretaker, it wouldn't be surprising. After all, he's the only one with his respective pile in the established common room, and, given what the piles are generally used for (primarily sleep), it raises a few implications.</p><p>Basically, Gamzee just needs someone to be with for the night, so that he isn't alone. It could be similar to general separation anxiety, where he's basically connected at the hip to someone, but really, I just don't wanna see Gamzee alone. xD</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay

"hEy, Uh, StRoNg BrO?"

Equius frowns. He'd been about to leave the common room to go join Nepeta on the robot pile in his personal quarters. Everyone else had retired a while ago, and it had been just him and the highblood clown left in the common room. He'd assumed that Gamzee was asleep on his absurd horn pile, since he hadn't been trying to talk Equius's ears off about that inane miracle nonsense he's always blathering on about in that sopor slime-addled drawl of his that Equius has not become fond of or even comfortably accustomed to, absolutely not. There's something different in the tone of Gamzee's voice now, though, something that strikes Equius as off without him even having to think about it, and that's what stops him right has he's about to use the transportalizer.

"What is it, highb100d," he asks, turning around and noticing immediately that Gamzee's entire _self_ seems kind of off, the relaxed ease he always exudes gone, replaced with a tension that feels completely alien for him. Something is clearly wrong here.

"sOrRy To BoThEr YoU, mAn," says Gamzee, smiling in a kind of nervous and fake way. "I kNoW yOu PrObAbLy GoT sHiT tO fUcKiN dO yOuRsElF rIgHt NoW, i'M NoT lIkE tRyInG tO gEt AlL uP iN yOuR mOtHeRfUcKiNg BuSiNeSs Or NoThInG."

"It's fine," says Equius. "Is something the matter?"

"wElL, uH." Gamzee shifts back and forth on his feet in a way that would look much more natural on Tavros than it does on him. "i MeAn, YeAh, I jUsT fUcKiN nEeD... cAn I aSk YoU a FaVoR, bRoThEr?"

"Of course," says Equius, perhaps a little too quickly, driven by both his natural inclination to do everything Gamzee tells him to and the pity that's stinging his heart at seeing Gamzee so nervous and hesitant. "You know I am always happy to serve you in any way possible, highb100d."

"NaH, mAn, LiKe. I dOn'T wAnT yOu To FeEl LiKe As If YoU fUcKiNg HaVe To Or NoThInG."

Equius crosses his arms. "100k, c001d you please just." He sighs. "I am e%tremely certain that there is nothing you c001d possibly ask of me that I w001d refuse, there's no need for such hesitance." He would add that such unaggressive behavior was unbecoming to one so high on the hemospectrum, but the pity he feels at seeing Gamzee of all people being nervous and hesitant keeps him from saying it.

"hAhA, yEaH, sOrRy," says Gamzee, running one long-fingered hand through the fluffy mess of his hair. "So Uh, WhAt I wAnNa AsK yOu Is, WoUlD yOu MiNd, LiKe, StAyInG hErE aNd CrAsHiNg On ThE hOrN pIlE wItH mE?"

Equius feels his blue blood rising in his cheeks. "You are requesting my companionship?" he asks, just to make sure he's not misinterpreting Gamzee's word choice, and because he's a little surprised that anyone besides Nepeta would ask such a thing of him.

"yEaH, lIkE, i'M nOt MuCh ReAlLy MoThErFuCkiN gOoD aT aLl BeInG bY mYsElF, yOu KnOw?" Gamzee's voice breaks a little and Equius gets hit with another pang of sharp red pity. "...I'd MaKe It WoRtH yOuR wHiLe, MaN."

Equius's brain stutters for a moment and a few drops of sweat roll down his face and arms. "Don't be absurd," he says before his brain has time to really latch onto that last statement. "There is abso100tly no need for you to offer me anything in return, I am more than content with simply being of use to you."

Gamzee's face brightens a little at that. "fOr ReAl, MoThErFuCkEr?"

"Anything else w001d be highly improper," says Equius, beginning to wish he'd brought an extra towel with him. "Though I w001dn't be averse to you asking a bit more forcefully."

"HaHaHa, YoU gOt It BrOtHeR." Equius is more than a little embarrassed to note how good it feels to hear Gamzee's voice regain a little of its usual obnoxious cheerfulness. "yOu'Re LiKe ToTaLlY gOnNa Be AlL sHaRiNg ThIs SwEeT hOrN pIlE wItH mE mOtHeRfUcKeR, i'M sO fUcKiN tElLiNg YoU tHaT!"

"Yes," says Equius, his blush deepening, sweat beading all over him. "I am honored to oblige you, highb100d."

"sErIoUsLy ThOuGh MaN, i ReAlLy FuCkInG aPpReCiAtE yOu BeInG aLl OkAy WiTh ThIs," says Gamzee, looking so genuinely relieved that Equius can't help but pity him even more. "LiKe YoU hAvE nO mOtHeRfUcKiNg IdEa."

"It's really nothing," says Equius, thankful that Gamzee is probably too addled by his toxic sopor slime pie to take any notice of how flushed Equius's face is becoming. "Though I'm not certain I'll be a very good companion for you."

"HuH? wHaT aRe YoU tAlKiNg AbOuT, bRoThEr?"

"I mean, I." Equius pauses, almost wishing he hadn't brought it up, this is just becoming more and more embarrassing. "I don't think I c001d, ah." He looks down at the floor, feeling ashamed. "Touch you, if that was even something you wanted, I mean, it w001d be thoroughly una%eptable if I were to hurt you."

"AwW, nO, mAn, DoN't WoRrY aBoUt ThAt, It'S cOoL," says Gamzee, reaching out and touching Equius's bare shoulder, just for a moment. "yOu DoN't HaVe To FeEl BaD aBoUt AnY oF tHaT nOiSe, I'm SeRiOuSlY jUsT wAy FuCkInG gLaD yOu'Re EvEn HeRe."

Equius's heart starts to race. 'I'm glad you're here' is not the sort of sentiment he's used to having directed at him. "I'm honored to hear you say so, highb100d," he says, lowering his head in an attempt to hide his blush.

"No FuCkInG pRoBlEm, MoThErFuCkEr. So, UhHh, WhAt Do YoU sAy We MoThErFuCkiNg GeT aLl Up On ThE pIlE tHeRe AnD mAkE wItH tHe SlEeP tImEs?"

"Right, of course." Equius takes a step towards the horn pile before remembering that someone else is still waiting for him on a different pile. "Oh, shoot, wait a minute, I forgot."

"HuH? fOrGoT wHaT, bRo?"

"Nepeta is waiting for me in my quarters," says Equius. "I told her I w001d be coming back soon."

"...Oh. ArE yOu GoNnA gO, tHeN?" Gamzee's eyes take on that pained, needy look again, and Equius feels nearly overwhelmed with pity.

"No, of course not," he says. "Just give me a minute, I think she has her drawing tablet with her." Equius sits down at one of the many computer terminals and pulls up Trollian, doing his best to type as gently as possible so as not to break the keyboard. Though it's probably going to happen anyway.

 

\-- centaursTesticle [CT] began trolling arsenicCatnip [AC] \--

CT: D --> Nepeta  
CT: D --> Are you there   
AC: :33 < *ac springs out from her den to pounce furrociously on ct*  
AC: :33 < *and lets out a mighty growl because she has b33n waiting a pawfully long time for him to come back! what has he b33n doing for so long!*   
CT: D --> W001d you stop with that f001ishness already   
AC: :33 < *ac will totally not stop with this furlishness just because ct is a huge meanie whos purrtending not to be having fun!*  
AC: :33 < *and she is still waiting for him to explain why he hasnt come back to the den yet*   
CT: D --> Oh fine  
CT: D --> I apologize for my lateness  
CT: D --> I w001d have returned but my continued presence has been requested and I am unable to refuse  
CT: D --> For various reasons  
CT: D --> Anyway I won't be coming back   
AC: :33 < really? whos with you?  
AC: :33 < *says ac from her purrsition on top of ct*   
CT: D --> The highb100d  
CT: D --> He has requested I keep him company   
AC: :33 < like a slumber pawty?  
AC: :33 < *ac wants to come to the slumber pawty too!*   
CT: D --> It is not a slumber party, what a 100dicrous suggestion   
AC: :33 < well it sure sounds like one!   
CT: D --> Well it isn't so get that absurd notion out of your head  
CT: D --> Although  
CT: D --> I will admit that I w001d not mind if you were to come back  
CT: D --> In fact I think it w001d be a good idea if you did  
CT: D --> As long as you promise not to call it a slumber party, because it isn't one   
AC: :33 < *ac purromises nothing!*   
CT: D --> And bring some towels would you

\-- arsenicCatnip [AC] ceased trolling centaursTesticle [CT] \--

CT: D --> Drat  
CT: D --> I hope you caught that last bit

 

Equius gets out of his chair and turns back toward Gamzee. "She's on her way," is what he's going to say, but before he has the chance something hits him in the chest and knocks him to the floor. And then sits there on top of him with a towel in her mouth.

"Nepeta, what are you doing, get off of me this instant." Equius would push his moirail off himself except that he knows he'd probably hurt her in the process, and as much as she drives him crazy sometimes, hurting her is the last thing he wants to do.

Nepeta drops the towel onto his face. "I brought you a purresent!"

"Thank you," grumbles Equius, reaching up to grab the towel. "Now get off of me, that's an order."

"Nyehhh!" Nepeta sticks her tongue out at him but at least this time she complies and gets up, jumping to her feet and bouncing over to Gamzee. "Gamz! Hi!"

"hEy, ChIcA," says Gamzee, sounding easy and relaxed again. "hOw'S mY fAvOrItE mOtHeRfUcKiN fEaRsOmE hUnTeR sIsTeR dOiNg, WhAt'S uP?"

"Equius said you guys are having a slumber pawty!"

"I did not," says Equius, standing up and drying himself off with the towel. "That is the e%act opposite of what I said."

Nepeta rolls her eyes. "You are _so boring_ sometimes, Equius!" She looks back at Gamzee. "He's purrtending this isn't a slumber pawty but I think we all know that's totally what it is."

"hAhAhA, wHaTeVeR yOu SaY, sIs! I dOn'T kNoW wHaT tHe FuCk BuT lIkE i'M cHiLl WiTh WhAtEvEr CaUsE yOu MoThErFuCkErS aRe BeInG aLl HeRe WiTh Me AnD ShIt, YoU kNoW?"

"Ha! That's two to one, Equius, you've b33n bested by the democatic purrocess!"

"I am not even going to dignify that with a response," says Equius. He finishes wiping the sweat off of his face and puts the towel around his neck. He'll probably need it again soon. "I think we sh001d perhaps get back to focusing on the actual sleeping."

"yEaH, gOoD iDeA, bRoThEr, I'm LiKe MoThErFuCkIn FaLlInG aSlEeP aLl Up On My FuCkInG fEeT oVeR hErE, hAhA. aNyWaY yOu ShOuLd FuCkIn Be AlL gEtTiNg On ThE pIlE fIrSt ThErE bRo."

Equius's face starts heating up again. He sincerely hopes that Nepeta doesn't-

"Hey, you're _blushing!_ Whatcha getting all flushed there for, Equius?"

"I am not either, be quiet." Equius wipes his face off with the towel again and attempts to get onto the horn pile with some semblance of dignity. He fails completely, horns honking unceremoniously beneath him throughout the whole process, but is at least able to find a position that's kind of comfortable.

"YoU gOoD tHeRe BrOtHeR?" says Gamzee, peering down at Equius with a smile.

"I'm fine," says Equius, trying to will the blue blush out of his cheeks.

"oKaY, mE nExT tHeN!" Gamzee flops himself down onto the pile, which welcomes him with an enthusiastic series of loud honks followed by a few squeakier sounds as he wriggles himself into position next to Equius. "yOu JuSt FuCkIn ReLaX aNd Be StIlL lIkE fOr A sEc OkAy MoThErFuCkEr?"

"Oh," says Equius as Gamzee's body brushes up against his. "Yes, okay."

Gamzee eventually settles into a position sort of parallel to Equius, almost touching him, close enough that his hair is tickling Equius's neck and shoulder. "I'm NoT aLl LiKe GoUgInG yOuR mOtHeRfUcKiN eYeS oUt WiTh My FuCkInG hOrNs Or NoThInG rIgHt BrOtHeR?"

"No, this is." Equius swallows hard and carefully reaches up to wipe his face with the towel. "This is good."

"My turn!" yells Nepeta, and pounces on top of the pile, sprawling herself out across them both.

"Will you stop that," says Equius. "You know you sh001dn't touch me."

"Oh, relax, dummy, you can't hurt me _that_ easy." She curls herself up to Gamzee's chest, putting her arms around him. "Mm, you guys are so warm, this is purrrrfect."

"mMm," Gamzee sighs, "YoU'rE wArM tOo, ChIcA, tHaT's ReAl NiCe." He reaches one arm around her back, then raises his free hand to scratch under her chin with one knuckle. Nepeta responds with a very appreciative purr and snuggles closer to him.

Equius sighs. As much as he loves being STRONG, sometimes he really hates being STRONG. He misses out on a lot of things.

"HeY nOw," says Gamzee, lowering his hand back to his side and brushing his knuckles lightly over the back of Equius's arm, "DoN't Go AlL bUmMiNg OuT oN mE hErE bRoThEr."

Equius blushes and turns his head to look over at Gamzee, and is surprised to see that the highblood is blushing too, his cheeks tinged with a hint of purple so faint beneath his white makeup that Equius likely wouldn't have noticed it had they not been so close, smiling that sleepy-eyed smile.

"SeRiOuSlY, mOtHeRfUcKeR, i LiKe CaN't MoThErFuCkInG tHaNk YoU eNoUgH fOr ThIs, YoU aRe A fUcKiNg MiRaClE."

"Think nothing of it," says Equius, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile for half a second.

Gamzee sort of _glows_ at him. "tHaNkS fOr StAyInG, MaN." He closes his eyes and seems to fall asleep almost instantly, though his hand doesn't stop moving, just keeps stroking Equius's arm in that same slow, soft motion.

"You're welcome," murmurs Equius, then falls asleep himself.


End file.
